Pell Grant Policy

WPO 5.08-2 Pell Grant Policy (Op5.08-2)

Policy statement

A federal Pell Grant is a free grant that is available to eligible undergraduate students that have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Student and family income that is provided on the FAFSA and enrollment status determine eligibility and award amount. The FAFSA becomes available electronically each year after October 1 and should be completed by March 31 for consideration for all financial aid programs. For fall, spring and summer semesters, full-time status is 12 hours or more, three-quarter time is 9-11 hours, half-time is 6-8 hours and less than half-time is 1-5 hours.

Enrollment deadline

The deadline for adding classes for Pell consideration is the end of the change of schedule period for the 16 week courses each semester. Registration for all classes must be completed by this date, including Second 8-week block classes, in order to be counted towards Pell eligibility.  Check the academic calendar for the change of schedule deadline for each semester.

Dual enrollment

Pell recipients that are less than full-time at Missouri State University-West Plains and dually enrolled with another accredited university may be eligible for a consortium agreement.  Requests for consortium must be received by the change of schedule period for the 16-week courses deadline each semester of dual enrollment.

Summer Pell Grant

Missouri State University-West Plains Office of Financial Aid defines an academic aid year as a fall and spring semester, with the summer term as a separate session considered a “trailer” semester. If you enroll in the summer term and want to request financial aid, please complete the Summer Supplement Form and return it to the Office of Financial Aid. The Summer Supplement Form is generally available by March 1 of each year prior to the summer semester.

Declining Pell Grant funds

A student may decline all or part of a Pell Grant disbursement that the student is otherwise eligible to received, as long as this action is taken in the same award year as the funds were received.  In doing so, the student will reduce the Pell “Lifetime Eligibility Used,” or LEU, which is the measurement by which Pell eligibility in the academic career of an individual student is tracked.

To decline Pell funds, students must send a signed, written statement to the Office of Financial Aid indicating that they are declining Pell funds that they are otherwise eligible to receive.  The student should understand that those declined funds may not be available once the award year is over.

Line of authority

 Responsible administrator and office: Vice Chancellor of Student Services

Contact person in that office: Coordinator of Financial Aid

Chancellor Approval: